The 2024 Kia EV9 SUV Makes Its Debut With Concept Exterior

On Tuesday, Kia unveiled photos of the 2024 Kia EV9 three-row electric crossover SUV. The automaker has laid the groundwork for a new flagship that will be based on the idea that debuted two years ago at the 2021 Los Angeles Motor Show.

The tall, boxy crossover SUV updates the attractive design of the Kia Telluride. With a novel twist on the brand’s dogbone grille, the vertical ends defy aerodynamics. Daytime running lights strike the fender like a lightning bolt from the bumper.

The LED headlights are all new, consisting of two stacks of little cubes, similar to an ice tray of light. Out back, the stepped pattern is repeated with taillights that ascend up the tailgate to the integrated rear roof spoiler. Kia foregoes the light bars that brace the front and rear of many other EVs, particularly in the premium class.

Large wheels with a noticeably square form are housed in boxy wheel arches. It has a discordant yet appealing design, although Kia has not revealed wheel sizes, standard features, or any other details. The roof is worn like a cap by the squat greenhouse, and a kink at the quarter window cuts a sharp line up to the roof spoiler. It appears to be both sporty and truck-like, implying some off-road capability.

The EV9 Will Have A Range of Up To 482 Kilometers/300 Miles

The cabin is even more spacious than in any other Kia car and most other production EVs. The cockpit is familiar, with two 12.3-inch panels separated by a 5.0-inch monitor behind a single pane of glass. The blocky dash, like the exterior, spreads horizontally, but instead of the haptic panel seen on contemporary Kia vehicles, Kia placed certain crucial climate control controls behind the vents. A shift lever is attached to the steering column, although the open top half of the steering wheel resembles, but differs from, the Kia EV6.

The 2024 Kia EV9 is most compelling from the dashboard back, in six- or seven-seat configurations. The floor is left open by a floating center console, which looks to feature many storage places. The front and second-row seats recline, allowing users to “relax and rest while the EV is charging,” according to Kia.

2024 Kia EV9’s Technical Specifications Comes Very Soon

EV9 will be the biggest car yet developed and constructed on the E-GMP dedicated electric-vehicle platform. The EV9 “will become the brand’s flagship vehicle and will redefine the big electric SUV category,” according to Kia, in 2022. The EV9 looks to have the potential to propel Kia into the realm of luxury.

For the time being, there are just a handful of three-row electric SUVs fetching premium pricing. The Tesla Model X was the first three-row electric vehicle to hit the market, and it recently received a $10,000 price decrease, lowering the starting price to $101,380 for five seats; an extra row costs $3,500 more. That’s a little less than the 2023 Mercedes-Benz EQS SUV, which starts at $105,000 and goes up to more than $130,000. The 2023 Rivian R1S starts at about $80,000 in price.

The 2024 Kia EV9’s technical specifications are due around the end of March. The price will be announced closer to the vehicle’s on-sale date later this year.

Related Article: Get a Closer Look at Kia’s First Electric SUV, The EV9